ArthritisDigest2013
Men: marry for the sake of your bones, but not too young!
Marriage is good for the health of men’s bones – but only if they marry when they’re 25 or older, new US research suggests.
Publishing their work in Osteoporosis International, the research team found evidence from their study of 632 people that men who married when they were younger than 25 years had lower bone strength than men who married for the first time at a later age. Continue reading
Combine calcium supplements with exercise to maximise benefits
People who take calcium supplements to prevent bone fracture should ensure they take enough exercise, in the light of research from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Experts looked at the benefits of taking calcium supplement over a period of 10 years in a group of post-menopausal women. The women were split into groups, with some taking 1g of calcium citrate and others taking a placebo. Continue reading
Vitamin D deficiency could be a result of poor health, not a cause
It may be that low vitamin D levels are a consequence of poor health rather than being a cause of it, suggests a research team from New Zealand.
Evidence from 40 clinical trials has been examined by Dr Mark Bolland and his colleagues to establish if vitamin D supplements have a significant impact on reducing bone fracture, heart attack and other issues.
Publishing their results in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the team found no association between the use of vitamin D supplements and significant health improvements in these areas.
Stem cell therapy can reduce arthritis pain after knee surgery
People with arthritis who have meniscus knee surgery could benefit from stem cell injections, says research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery that highlights the technique is safe, relives osteoarthritis pain and may facilitate regeneration.
A total of 55 people aged 18 years to 60 years were involved in the study. Some were injected with stem cells (from healthy volunteers aged 18 years to 30 years) after the surgical removal of all or part of a torn meniscus. (The meniscus is a wedge-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee joint that absorbs impact between the thigh and shin bones.) Continue reading
Additional rituximab dose can improve response to treatment in rheumatoid arthritis
People with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated with rituximab could sometimes benefit from an extra dose of the drug if they seem to be responding poorly, says research published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Rituximab usually works by lowering the number of circulating B cells in the blood. But if the drug doesn’t manage to lower the B cells enough, its benefits are undermined. Continue reading
